Corporators vs city builders dominates Thane civic body meeting

Making an emotional pitch at being allegedly victimized by the administration, the corporators taking part in a TMC general body meeting said after builder Suraj Parmar’s suicide any issue raised by them against the illegalities are being treated with suspicionManoj Badgeri | TNN | November 05, 2015, 08:05 IST

THANE: Cutting across party lines, corporators on Wednesday voiced their ire at being "unnecessary harassed" and "targeted" by the police for voicing violations by builders. They even offered to withdraw their arguments and complaints of illegalities committed by builders.

Making an emotional pitch at being allegedly victimized by the administration, the corporators taking part in a TMC general body meeting said after builder Suraj Parmar's suicide any issue raised by them against the illegalities are being treated with suspicion.

The opposition later boycotted the meeting following which the meeting was wrapped up within an hour. Nearly 25 crucial issues were approved by majority vote.

The issue was raised during the zero hour discussion by Kalwa NCP corporator Milind Patil who complained to the general body that he has been receiving threats, saying he would be implicated in a suicide abetment case.

Patil said the person had reportedly put up illegal banners in his ward and when he tried to alert the civic body he started getting threats. "The contractor had taken permission for one area and put up hoardings in another. After I asked the administration about its status, he started calling me and sending messages saying he will end his life and threatened to implicate me," Patil told the body.

Fellow corporators further cited the Parmar case and expressed concern over the manner how elected representatives were being harassed for raising issues related to violations. NCP Amit Saraiya from Vartak Nagar said he was taking back all the questions raised by him against violations by developers in the city. Party colleagues Shanu Pathan and Mukund Keni from Kalwa also said they were doing the same.

Training guns on the administration, Congress leader Sanjay Ghadigaonkar accused the administration of selectively targeting corporators who were raising issues related to irregularities in the city. "It seems certain officials from the administration are misusing powers and selectively targeting corporators who repeatedly raise issues. This has to stop," he said. BJP corporator Milind Patankar said he was surprised how information of complaints or queries about certain projects were being passed on to builders.

Sena corporator Sudhir Bhagat questioned the House what was wrong in exercising rights as elected representatives and questioning illegalities in the city. Party colleague Vilas Samant asked for protection for corporators.

Repeated requests to the Mayor for a ruling met with no response following which the opposition staged a walkout. However, as the required quorum was maintained, the meeting continued and 25 issues were passed with majority vote, municipal secretary Manish Joshi said.